Congo receives long-awaited mpox vaccine doses

Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo received its first batch of mpox vaccines on Thursday, which health authorities hope will help curb an outbreak that has prompted the U.N. to declare a global public health emergency.

Congo is the epicenter of the outbreak, which has spread to neighboring countries and elsewhere, but a lack of vaccines in Africa has hampered efforts to stop the spread of the sometimes deadly disease.

A plane carrying doses manufactured by Bavarian Nordic and donated by the European Union touched down in the capital Kinshasa around 13:00 local time (12:00 GMT), Reuters reporters at the airport said.

Congo's health minister, Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba, told reporters the newly arrived vaccine had already proved its worth in the United States and would be rolled out to adults in Congo.

"We know which provinces are heavily affected, notably Equateur and South Kivu... The idea is to contain the virus as quickly as possible," he added.

This first delivery amounts to 99,000 doses and a further delivery on Saturday will take the total to 200,000 doses, said Laurent Muschel, the head of the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

Overall, Europe aims to deliver 566,000 doses to wherever needs are greatest in the region, Muschel told Reuters. "Based on the number of cases, the next country (for deliveries) should be Burundi, but the country's medical agency must authorize it."

The arrival of the vaccine in Congo should start to address a huge inequity that has left African countries with no access to the two shots used in a 2022 global mpox outbreak, while they were widely available in Europe and the United States.

Congo has said it will launch its vaccination campaign on Oct. 8 to allow time for a thorough awareness-raising campaign to overcome mistrust in some communities.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/first-batch-mpox-vaccine-doses-arrives-congo-2024-09-05/

Comprehension

What vaccines did the Democratic Republic of Congo receive, and why are they important?
Which organization declared the mpox outbreak a global public health emergency?
Where was the first batch of vaccines manufactured, and who donated them?
How many doses of the vaccine did Congo receive in the first batch?
What are the two provinces in Congo that are heavily affected by the mpox outbreak?
When is Congo planning to launch its vaccination campaign?
What challenge has Africa faced in acquiring mpox vaccines compared to Europe and the U.S.?
What is the total number of doses the European Union plans to deliver to Congo

Discussion

How do you think the mpox outbreak has impacted the affected communities in Congo?
Why is it important for Congo to raise awareness before launching the vaccination campaign?
Have you ever been vaccinated for a disease? How did you feel about it?
What steps can countries take to prevent future outbreaks of diseases like mpox?
How do you think the lack of access to vaccines in Africa affects global health efforts?
Why do you think it took so long for vaccines to reach Congo?
How can countries work together to ensure equal access to vaccines during health crises?
What would you do if there was an outbreak of a serious disease in your community?
How can governments overcome mistrust of vaccines in local communities?
What do you think are the challenges in distributing vaccines to remote or rural areas?

Vocabulary

Mpox – A disease caused by a virus, sometimes referred to as monkeypox.
Curb – To control or limit something, such as the spread of a disease.
Epicenter – The central point of something, especially an outbreak or crisis.
Hampered – To be held back or obstructed in progress.
Contain – To prevent something harmful from spreading or getting worse.
Equity – Fairness or justice in the distribution of resources or opportunities.
Vaccination campaign – A coordinated effort to vaccinate a large number of people.
Mistrust – A lack of confidence or trust in something, often due to doubt or suspicion.